Ian Wickham wrote: I believe Mrs W got a stiff telling off from Ian when she told him we had gone off piste onto non patrolled sectors. Oops.
Just a quick response about the chat I had to Mrs W ........ I had already had a chat at the beginning of the week with a few of the guys including Mrs W about being aware of the two weeks of warm weather St Anton had and then with added snow fall my reasoning was the pack could be unstable, I was more irritated with Mrs W that A: She did not know the Avalanche warning level and B: That she followed the leader with out thought of the conditions, Now Mrs W is not normally a follower which did irritate more than her skiing the off piste runs.
I maybe over cautious but I'd rather be safe than sorry afterwards.
4 out of 6 all agreed initially to ski it, there was no leader, although I am always asked to go first in the group if thats what you meant? Mrs W and Mrs H decided on the way back up to do it of their own free will, but your point is valid irrespective. I believe Mrs W said "I'll do it if you're doing it" to one of the group, not wanting to get her into domestic trouble of course. No one made anyone do anything, and a few times some of the group stayed on the pistes while the rest of us bobbed off the edge quite a few times.
Like Ellistine says, our ideas of off piste and the serious stuff after 3 hour hikes are quite different I am sure.